The Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers (CIOMR) is an umbrella organisation, within which the national associations of multi-professional reserve medical services of the NATO member states and their affiliates are united. As an apolitical and independent organisation CIOMR strives to make a significant contribution to the medical force elements of the alliance and the further development of military multi-professional healthcare provision as well as informing security policy in their homelands with the aid of further and professional training activities.
The Confédération Interalliée des Officiers Médicaux de Réserve (Interallied Confederation of Medical Reserve Officers) was founded in Brussels in 1948 by Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Nowadays the reserve officers associations of most NATO countries are members. Also organizations of non-NATO countries are (associate) members: Austria, the Republic of South Africa, Singapore and Switzerland.
Delegates are physicians, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, nurses, technicians and medical service corps officers.
The Governing body of CIOMR is its Executive Committee, which consists of the heads of the national delegations. Each delegation is headed by the respective national vice president.
The CIOMR president is nominated by one of the national associations in rotation, serving a two-years-term. In due course the president designate will choose in consultation with the national association an international vice president who will take on the position simultaneously with the president by the approval of the EC. The Executive Committee accepts nominations for the other board positions from members of the delegations.
National reserve military medical associations or their equivalents from all NATO member countries can become full members.
National reserve military medical associations or their equivalents from non-NATO member countries can become associate members (PfP countries, countries of the Mediterranean Dialogue etc.).
Only one national association per country will be admitted.
Each member of CIOMR may send a delegation consisting of 6 members, one of them must be a medical officer.
Application for membership should be made to the Executive Committee.
To establish close relationships with medical reserve personnel and services within the alliance.
To study and discuss subjects which are of military medical importance.
To promote effective cooperation with the medical services of the active forces by providing information and feedback through its civilian medical expertise.
To participate as an actively involved observer in the plenary meeting and the Working Group on Medical Training of COMEDS, the NATO Committee of Chiefs of Medical Services.
CIOMR is chartered by NATO through the same Military Committee-approved document MC 248/1 as its CIOR counterpart. CIOR and CIOMR are associated organisations. CIOMR holds its sessions at the same time and place as the CIOR summer congress and mid-winter meeting, but prepares a separate agenda for the discussion of medical matters. MC 441/1 NATO FRAMEWORK POLICY ON RESERVES (see attachment) MC 248/1: defines the relationship between the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Throughout this paper the abbreviation CIOR included CIOMR. (official text attached)
In 1995 CIOMR was given observer status in COMED’s Expert Panel on Medical Training, and from 1996 on a CIOMR representative has actively participated. COMEDS is the acronym for Committee of Chiefs of Medical Services (NATO), which strives, among other items, for compability in medical doctrine and training. To CIOMR’s delight, a formal relationship has now been established with medical officers in active service, through which reservists can contribute their civilian expertise. In 2005 CIOMR was granted observership in the COMEDS Plenary Meeting.
NATO Joint Medical Committee (JMC)
In October 2007 CIOMR became observer to the NATO Joint Medical Committee (JMC). Contacts are also maintained with the ACO Medical Advisor, the Medical Officer of the International Military Staff at NATO and, non-NATO, the EUMS Medical Staff Officers and the Civil-Military Liaison Officer of the WHO.